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■'   PNEUMATIC  EVAPORATION 


PRESERVING  AND  PERFECTING 


Fruits,  Vegetables,  Meats,  Fish,  Etc. 


Our  improved  apparatus  will  do  one-third  more  work  than  that  erected  in 
1874,  while  our  prices  have  been  materially  reduced.  A  portion  of  the  pur- 
chase money  may  be  paid  in  the  products  of  the  Alden  factories.  The  Alden 
is  the  oldest,  the  best  and  the  cheapest  process  known  for  preserving  fruits, 
vegetables,  meats,  etc.  It  would  be  unwise  to  purchase  the  new  and  untried 
dryers  before  they  have  demonstrated  their  superiority  by  a  trial  of  at  least 
one  year's  regular  work 

Caution  ! — We  propose  to  protect  our  interests  and  the  interests  of  those 
purchasing  from  us,  and  shall  prosecute,  to  the  extent  of  the  law,  all  persons 
buying  or  using  any  infringements  of  Alden  apparatus  and  process. 


CO 
CO 


SAN  FRANCISCO; 

ALDEN  FRUIT  PRESERVING  COMPANY  OF  CALIFORNIA, 

42G  Montgoniei'y  Street. 


4 


CIRCXJX.^R 


Idcii  fruit  Drcfjcruiitig  I^^^^P^^^H 


OF    CALIFORNIA. 

1876. 


The  experience  of  the  past  has  strengthened  our  confidence  in  the  proc-ess 
\vhich  secures  the  same  market  lor  succulent  products  that  exists  for  wheat  and 
wool,  viz: 

THE  WORLD  FOR  A  MARKET,  AND  OUR  OWN  TIME  TO  SELL. 

The  business  of  evaporating  fruits  and  vegetables,  so  as  to  render  them  capa- 
ble of  shipment  to  any  market  in  the  world,  with  an  indefinite  time  of  transit,  and 
still  preserve  them  with  all  their  desirable  qualities,  has  now  assumed  a  very 
important  place  among  the  prominent  and  legitimate  industries  of  our  growing 
country. 

The  Alden  Process  has  passed  the  experimental  stage,  and  is  now  so  well 
known  and  thoroughly  established,  that  its  value  to  producer  and  consumer  is 
generally  recognized.  During  the  past  four  years,  more  than  200  Alden  facto- 
ries have  been  established  in  the  United  States,  all  of  which  are  in  full  opera- 
tion in  the  proper  season,  producing  articles  not  only  cheaper,  but  also  more 
nearly  resembling  fresh  fruit  than  any  other,  and  it  is  the  only  method  of  pres- 
ervation that  has  risen  to  sufficient  dignity  and  importance  to  command  for  its 
products  a  distinctive  recognition  and  remunerative  prices  in  the  markets  of  the 
world.  It  is,  therefore,  only  necessary  for  us  to  keep  the  public  informed  of 
our  improvements  in  simplifying  and  cheapening,  without  entering  into  any 
lengthy  arguments  respecting  its  value  and  great  superiority  over  all  other 
methods. 

We  are  prepared  to  show  how  all  the  valuable  qualities  of  a  ton  of  apples 
can  be  placed  in  an  imperishable  condition  and  delivered  in  Liverpool  at  a 
gross  cost  of  not  more  than  twenty  dollars,  and  we  claim  that  our  processed 
apples  are  better  than  the  fresh  apples  shipped  from  the  Atlantic  States  to  Liver- 
pool, in  such  large  quantities,  selling  there  at  $52  per  ton,  leaving  a  difterence 
of  over  S30  per  ton  in  favor  of  the  Alden  apple.  We  have  purposely  chosen 
the  least  profitable  article  evaporated,  sending  it  to  a  distant  market  in  the  face 
of  unusual  competition,  to  show  to  what  vast  proportions  we  may  expect  the 
trade  to  grow. 


4ei(iiiiU 


Even  in  the  midst  of  the  fresh  fruit  season,  consumers  in  San  Francisco  can 
buy  Alden  Fruit  cheaper,  (when  there  is  any  in  the  market)  than  its  equivalent 

of  fresh  fruit  at  retail. 

COST  AS  COMPARSD  'WITH  OTHER  METHODS  OP  PRESERVING. 

Paring  and  slicing  require  the  same  labor  and  room  for  all  methods,  and 
there  is  no  way  of  disposing  of  fruit  with  less  trouble  and  expense  than  to  spread 
it  on  our  screens.  Tnen,  one-fourth  of  a  cord  of  wood,  or  its  equivalent  o^ 
coal,  will  run  one  Evaporator,  at  a  proper  degree  of  heat,  for  twenty-four 
hours,  and  will  expel  the  moisture  from  four  thousand  pounds  of  fruit.  This 
cost  of  fuel  does  not  vary  much  from  the  cost  of  extra  labor  to  spread  and 
gather  sun-dried  fruit.  So  we  may  say  that  the  real  difference  in  cost  between 
the  two  systems  rests  in  the  interest  upon  the  original  cost  of  an  Alden  factory. 

The  practical  business  man  will  consider  rather  the  percentage  of  profit 
yielded  by  the  year's  work,  than  the  first  cost  of  the  apparatus  ;  it  is  enough  for 
him  to  know  that  there  is  a  demand  for  the  goods,  and  that  the  business  will 
"pay."'  That  the  Alden  business  does  pay,  is  demonstrated  by  the  facts  that 
the  goods  find  a  ready  sale  at  remunerative  prices,  and  that  many  new  factories 
are  started  every  year.  Alden  goods  are  better  and  cheaper  than  sun-dried  or 
canned  fruits,  because,  we  buy  direct  from  the  orchard  when  just  ripe  enough, 
yet  perfectly  fresh  and  unbruised,  and  we  cure-preserve  {not dry)  the  fruit ;  and 
as  all  the  work  is  done  under  cover,  in  a  few  hours'  time  the  disgustingly  un- 
wholesome deposits  of  insects  and  dust  are  excluded.  The  natural  fresh  color 
and  flavor  remain  in  it,  and  instead  of  deteriorating,  or  wasting  any  of  the 
valuable  qualities,  we  convert  a  pirt  of  the  starch  into  sugar,  so  that  in  cooking 
one-half  the  sugar  necessary  for  fresh  fruit  is  ample  for  these  "raisined"  products 
of  the  Alden  process.  On  the  other  hand,  only  such  fruits  as  won't  sell  fresh 
are  used  for  sun-drv-ing,  and  the  work  is  generally  done  without  regard  to  clean- 
liness. While  it  remains  exposed  in  the  open  air  about  1 5  days,  to  insects  and 
dust,  fermentadon  takes  place  which  entirely  destroys  the  saccharine  matter, 
changing  the  color,  texture  and  flavor,  and  when  prepared  for  cooking  the 
necessarv  washing  wastes  considerable  of  the  substance;  besides  a  large  part  of 
the  weight  of  ordinar}-  dried  fruit  is  dust,  and  what  is  used  of  such  articles  is 
tough,  sour,  indigestible,  and  unfit  for  human  food.  Upon  the  average^  the  prices 
for  the  Alden  goods  are  about  three  times  those  0/  common  dried  fruit. 

THE  REAL  COMPETITION  IS  "WITH  CANNED  FRUITS. 

The  business  of  canning  fruits  and  vegetables  has  assumed  immense  propor- 
tions, and  millions  of  cans  of  peaches,  tomatoes,  corn,  etc.,  are  annually 
packed  in  the  United  States.  That  the  Alden  goods  will  finally  take  the  place 
of  canned  goods,  there  is  now  no  room  to  doubt;  and  they  are  destined  to  find 
a  demand  as  much  larger  than  canned  goods  ever  had,  as  the  price  is  more  rea- 
sonable and  the  product  better.  The  cost  of  tin  cans  is,  in  some  instances, 
nearly  four  times  the  cost  of  the  fruit  to  fill  them,  and  the  loss  through  leak- 
age cannot  be  reduced    in  practice  below  ten  per  cent.     Our  packages  cost  fai 


less  than  the  outside  cases  for  the  cans,  and  onr /nighlh,  on  the  average,  ab(jut 
one-tenth.  This  item  of  freight  alone  is  worthy  of  careful  consideration.  To 
illustrate  :  one  case  of '' Alden  onions''  weighing  58  lbs.  gross,  is  equivalent,  for 
all  culinary  purposes,  to  550  lbs.,  or  five  bags  of  fresh  ;  one  case  of  "  Alden 
peas"  weighing  43  lbs.,  is  equivalent  to,  and  will  go  as  far  in  family  use,  as 
seven  cases  of  canned  peas  weighing  350  lbs.  The  same  rule  will  apply  to  all 
the  fruits  and  vegetables  prepared  by  this  process.  Canning  is  generally  done 
in  cities.  Fruits  for  the  city  are  picked  from  the  trees  before  fully  ripe,  and  the 
cannens  use  the  cheapest  of  them.  The  bulk  of  the  articles  that  go  into  cans 
are  bruised,  wilted,  and  often  in  an  advanced  stage  of  decomposition.  By  cook- 
ing and  doctoring  them  with  cheap  sugar,  and  excluding  the  air,  decay  is  arrested, 
but  they  have  lost  their  fruity  flavor,  which  no  art  can  restore.  The  smallest 
opening  in  the  can  admitting  air,  quickly  destroys  the  contents.  Canned  goods, 
when  opened,  must  be  used  at  once.  Not  so  with  Alden  goods — you  can  open 
the  package,  remove  the  quantity  you  wish  to  use,  without  deteriorating  the 
remainder.     They  will  keep  for  years  in  any  climate. 

FRUIT  IN  TIN  CANS  POISONOUS. 

Read  what  the  'Qo^ion  Journal  of  Chemistry  has  to  say  on  this  point : 
"The  impression  prevails  among  those  who  freely  use  fruits  put  up  in 
tin  cans,  that  they  are  injured  thereby,  and  this  impression  is  in  many  cases 
correct.  We  have  long  contended  that  all  preserved  fruits  and  vegetables  should 
be  dried,  or  stored  in  glass,  and  that  no  7?ietal  of  any  kind  should  be  brought 
in  contact  with  them.  All  fruits  contain  more  or  less  of  vegetable  acids,  and 
others  that  are  highly  corrosive  are  often  formed  by  fermentation,  and  the  me- 
talic  vessels  are  considerably  acted  upon.  Tin  cans  are  held  together  by  solder, 
an  alloy  into  which  lead  enters  largely.  This  metal  is  easily  corroded  bv  vege- 
table acids,  and  poisonous  salts  are  formed.  Undoubtedly  many  persons  are 
greatly  injured  by  eating  tomatoes,  peaches,  etc.,  which  have  been  placed  in 
tin  cans,  and  we  advise  our  friends  to  discontinue  the  use  of  such  articles." 

CAN  WE  COMPETE  WITH  EASTERN  MANUFACTURERS  ? 

Yes  ;  if  we  woxk /or  and  maintain  the  highest  standard  of  excellence.  Herein 
lies  the  road  to  certain  success.  If  we  produce  a  uniformly  good  article,  we 
can  always  realize  a  good  price,  and  successfully  compete  with  Eastern  and 
European  manufacturers  ;  and  there  is  no  mystery  about  the  Alden  business ; 
any  person  of  ordinary  capacity  can  understand  and  manage  it  successfully.  It 
only  requires  carelul  application. 

jMany  of  the  factories  in  the  Eastern  States  produce  nothing  but  apples,  porn, 
and  pumpkins,  and  nowhere  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  can  Plums,  Prunes, 
Apricots,  Figs  and  Raisin-grapes  be  successfully  raised.  In  these  fruits  Cali- 
fornia has  a  monopoly,  and  the  prediction  is  not  unreasonable  that  in  a  few 
years  we  will  sup{)ly  the  $19,000,000  worth  of  such  dried  fruits  annuallv  im- 
ported into  the  United  Slates.  All  our  fruits  and  vegetables  are  larger  and 
smoother,  contain  more  saccharine  matter,  and  the  percentage  of  yield  is  largely 


in  our  favor.  Then,  too,  our  working  season  is  much  longer,  and  we  are 
blessed  with  an  entire  immunity  from  bhght,  the  curculio  and  other  insects. 
As  the  business  of  raising  and  curing  such  fruits  is  both  respectable  and  profi- 
table, we  cannot  too  often  urge  people  to  plant  largely  o(  ihe  Jiner  varieties,  such 
as  plums,  prunes,  figs,  peaches,  apricots,  raisin  grapes  and  Zante  currants. 
There  is  no  danger  of  overstocking  the  market  with  such  articles,  when  pro- 
perly cured  and  put  in  attractive  packages.  With  the  exception  of  peaches, 
none  of  the  fruits  named  can  be  successfully  raised  East  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, and  even  the  peach  tree  is  a  more  regular  and  certain  bearer  in  Califor- 
nia than  in  Deleware,  which  is  at  present  the  great  peach  orchard  of  the  United 
States,  and  produced  in  the  past  season  10,000,000  baskets  of  peaches  of  thirty 
pounds  each,  which,  at  twenty-five  cents  per  basket,  would  amount  to  $2,500,- 
000,  There  is  not  here  the  market  for  fresh  fruits  that  exists  and  is  within 
reach  of  the  Deleware  orchardist,  but  Philadelphia  and  New  York  can  be  sup- 
plied with  Alden  peaches  as  cheaply  from  California  as  from  Deleware.  Nice 
Alden  peaches  are  in  demand  in  the  Eastern  markets  at  from  thirty-five  to  fifty 
cents  per  pound,  currency. 

Can  these  fruits  be  raised  here  with  profit  at  one  cent  per  pound  ?  We  think 
so,  and  offer  the  following  as  the  reason  for  our  faith  :  one  hundred  and  thirty 
trees  to  the  acre,  and  one  hundred  pounds  of  fruit  to  the  tree,  is  a  low  estimate, 
and  vet  in  will  yield  $130  per  acre,  at  one  cent  per  pound.  And  if  the  curing 
factorv  is  located  in,  or  near  the  orchard,  there  will  be  no  outlay  for  boxes, 
freio'ht,  insurance  and  commissions,  nor  can  there  be  any  loss  from  waste. 
These  fruits — take  the  prune  for  example,  which  yields  one  pound  from  three — 
can  be  cured  at  an  expense,  for  labor,  fuel,  boxes,  etc.,  of  three  cents  per 
pound,  making  the  total  cost  of  Alden  prunes,  which  are  infinitely  superior  to 
the  imported  article,  six  cents  per  pound.  These  prunes  could  then  be  af- 
forded at  ten  cents  per  pound,  which  would  be  within  the  means  of  the  poorer 
classes.  This  estimate  would  leave  a  handsome  profit  for  the  grower,  the  manu- 
facturer and  the  merchant.  At  present  the  factories  pay  two  and  a  half  cents 
for  the  prunes  and  plums,  and  sell  them  at  from  eighteen  to  thirty  cents  per 
pound.  The  present  great  drawback  is  that  these  finer  varieties  of  fruits  are 
not  yet  raised  in  as  large  quantities  as  could  be  desired.  According  to  the 
Survevor  General's  report,  there  were  over  a  million  and  a  half  of  apple, 
and  onlv  twenty-two  thousand  prune  trees  in  the  State  in  1874.  Farmers  are 
satisfied  with  one-half  to  one  cent  per  pound  for  their  apples,  and  we  predict 
that  the  time  will  come  when  they  will  sell  their  prunes,  etc.,  for  one  cent  per 
pound,  or  less,  and  then  make  more  money  than  can  be  realized  from  wheat 
or  stock  raising.  A  prune  tree  will  not  bear  as  many  pounds  as  an  apple  tree, 
but  an  acre  will  carry  more  trees  of  the  varieties  above  named  than  of  apple  trees, 
and  the  result  in  weight  is  about  the  same,  while  in  point  of  commercial  value 
the  difference  is  vastly  in  favor  of  the  plums,  prunes,  etc. 

The  first,  simplest  and  best  method  of  disposing  of  the  fruit  crop  is  to  sell 
on  the  ground,  receive  your  check  and  draw  your  money  daily,  or,  at  longest, 
weekly.     A  sure  thing  is  the  best  thing  for  the  grower.     By  adopting  the  Alden 


process  of  preserving,  the  grower  can  hold  his  products  for  a  remunerative 
market,  instead  of  being  forced  by  the  perishable  condition  of  his  fruits  into  a 
glutted  market,  so  often  artificially  made  by  the  intentional  movements  of 
dealers. 

There  is  always  a  market  for  first-class  dried  and  conserved  fruits,  and  the 
demand  for  American  fruits  of  this  description  is  rapidly  increasing  in  the  for- 
eign market,  and  will  be  much  more  rapid  when  brands  are  found  of  a  uni- 
form and  reliable  quality. 

HINTS  FOR  LOCAL  MERCHANTS  AND  LAND  0"WNERS. 

All  the  finer  varieties  of  fruits  can  be  raised  in  your  locality,  and  if  you  want 
business  to  increase,  and  purchasers  for  your  land,  get  an  Alden  factory  estab- 
lished in  your  midst.  Each  evaporator  will  work  up  loo  tons  of  fruit  in  about 
four  months,  and  the  product  will  be  worth  at  the  factory  at  least  S  10,000.  No 
manufacturing  business  requiring  so  small  an  outlay,  will  do  so  much  for  your 
place.  The  money  expended  for  fuel,  labor,  fruit,  etc.,  is  all  distributed  among 
your  own  citizens,  and  no  other  business  is  so  likely  to  grow,  for  people  will 
resurrect  their  old  orchards,  and  plant  new  ones,  when  you  show  them  a  relia- 
ble market  for  their  fruit.  More  fruit  trees  will  be  planted  this  Winter  in  the 
locality  where  Alden  factories  have  been  in  operation  during  the  past  season, 
than  in  any  former  year.  People  have  discovered  that  fruit  ra.is'mg  zvi/I pay  bet- 
ter than  wheat,  without  exhausting  the  soil,  and  they  appreciate,  too,  that  the 
raising  of  such  commercial  fruit  is  the  highest  agriculture.  Nothing  has  such 
a  tendency  to  enhance  the  value  of  land,  for  it  renders  land  capable  of  produc- 
ing at  least  ten  times  the  income  that  it  would  bring  in  grain  or  in  stock.  The 
Alden  business  could  be  introduced  with  great  advantage  in  young  colonies. 
We  think  that  five  families,  starting  with  one  evaporator,  and  cultivating  ten 
acres  each,  could  raise  enough  vegetables  to  make  a  successful  run  for  the  first 
season.  The  vegetables  and  small  fruits  can  be  raised  between  the  rows  of 
trees  in  a  young  orchard,  on  moist  land,  or  where  water  for  irrigation  can  be 
obtained  ;  then  with  ten  acres  each  of  plums  and  prunes,  which  commence 
bearing  in  three  years,  the  colonists  would  have  a  large  and  certain  income — 
in  fact  be  rich. 

Of  course  it  would  be  better  to  start  on  a  larger  scale,  and  so  realize  a  part 
of  the  profit  on  the  increased  value  of  the  adjoining  lands,  but  we  have  outlined 
what  can  be  done  with  small  beginnings — a  rare  thing  for  Californians  to  notice. 

THE  GAIN  OP  ONE  YEAR'S  EXPERIENCE. 

The  Alden  business  is  in  its  infancy,  and  a  great  deal  may  yet  be  learned. 
A  little  experience  will  develope  many  improvements,  and  cut  down  expenses 
of  operating  a  factory.  This  may  be  illustrated  by  reference  to  the  work  done  at 
San  Lorenzo  during  1873  and  1874  ;  in  the  former  year,  that  factory  was  in 
operation  nearly  six  months,  and  evaporated  783,521  pounds  of  fruits,  while 
during  1874,  iti  less  than  four  months  time,  1,013,689  pounds  of  the  same  kind 
of  fruits  were  evaporated,  showing  an  increase  of  30  per  cent.;  add  to  this  the 


6 

decrease  in  the  expense  accounts,  aggregating  i,ioo,  according  to  the  report  of 
the  Superintendent,  and  we  have  a  very  handsome  gain  as  the  result  of  one 
year's  experience. 

Another  encouraging  feature  of  this  business  is  the  fact  that  the  price  of  Alden 
goods  is  gradually  advancing.  The  first  Alden  peaches  offered  in  Philadelphia, 
four  years  ago,  brought  only  26  cents  per  pound.  They  are  in  great  demand 
now  in  all  the  market  centres  in  the  East,  at  from  35  to  4  5  cents  per  pound,  ac- 
cording to  quality.  The  San  Francisco  price  for  peaches  last  year  was  25 
cents;  this  year  they  command  30  to  35  cents,  and  the  supply  has  long  since 
been  exhausted.  Alden  apples  sold  last  year  at  10  and  12  cents;  this  year 
they  sell  readily  at  15  to  18  cents,  gold  ;  and  in  Chicago  at  20  cents,  currency, 

LABOR-SAVING  MACHINERY. 

Our  policy  is  to  employ  the  best  workmanship  and  to  use  the  best  material 
with  instructions  to  do  everything  in  the  most  thorough  manner.  We  have 
several  persons  engaged  in  devising  improvements  in  our  apparatus,  and  in 
labor  saving  machinery,  such  as  parers  and  slicers,  plum  pitters,  contrivances 
for  steaming  vegetables,  etc.,  and  have  correspondents  similarly  engaged  in  the 
East.  It  is  our  design  to  group  together  as  many  of  such  improvements  as 
possible,  and  offer  to  purchasers  from  us  the  benefit  of  all. 

The  smaller  and  cheaper  fruit-driers  so  industriously  paraded  before  the  pub- 
lic, since  the  successful  introduction  of  the  Alden  process,  have  caused  us  to 
consider  the  question  of  manufacturing  a  cheap  Alden  ^Machine  for  persons 
who  prefer  to  operate  on  a  small  scale.  A  little  reflection,  however,  has  con- 
vinced us  that  such  a  course  would  result  in  loss  to  our  patrons  and  ruin  to  our 
permanent  interests.  To  be  sold  cheaply,  the  machine  must  be  made  cheaply. 
Let  any  practical  man  examine  the  small  driers,  with  sheet  iron  heaters,  in  the 
market,  and  calculate  how  soon  they  will  burn  out,  and  how  often  the  fire  must 
receive  attention  to  maintain  a  uniform  degree  of  heat,  ivhich  is  so  very  essen- 
tial; let  him  estimate  how  many  square  feet  of  radiating  surface  they  afford,  and 
what  the  chances  are  for  the  escape  of  heat  so  soon  as  the  lumber  begins  to 
shrink  ;  let  him  calculate,  also,  what  the  chances  are  for  breaking  down,  and 
see  if  he  can  find  07ie  that  has  been  used  the  second  season.  And  then  let  him 
handle  and  taste  the  fruit  dried  by  such  small  and  cheap  machines,  and  follow 
them  into  the  markets  to  ascertain  the  difference  in  price  between  them  and  the 
Alden  products,  and  he  will  need  no  further  argument  from  us. 

We  are,  however,  prepared  to  furnish,  expressly  for  individual  fruit  growers, 
a  smaller  evaporator,  of  about  one-half  the  price  and  capacity  of  our  New 
Model  Evaporator.  The  smaller  machine  can  be  erected  in  any  ordinary  one- 
story  building  at  a  trifling  expense  ;  its  products  are  equal  in  appearance  and 
quality  to  those  of  the  larger  machines,  and  it  is  managed  with  the  greatest 
economv  and  ease  ;  any  kind  of  fuel  can  be  used.  We  do  not  recommend 
small  machines,  for  reasons  already  given,  but  will  give  a  further  description, 
etc.,  of  them  to  persons  who  may  wish  to  engage  in  the  AlJ.en  business  on  a 
small  scale. 


THE  NEW"  ALDEN  MODEL  EVAPORATOR 

Recommends  the  AKlcn  Process  freshly,  and   more  forcibly  than  ever,  to  farm- 
ing, fruit  growing  antl  investing  interests. 

Those  who  now  engage  in  the  business  of  Pneumatic  Evaporation  will  en- 
joy the  advantage  of  a  saving  of  sixty  per  cent,  on  the  former  cost  of  the 
Evaporating  Apparatus,  and  will  be  able  to  carry  on  the  manufaclure  at  a  cur- 
rent expense  of  only  about  two-thirds  as  great  as  heretofore,  in  consequence  of 
the  great  simplification  which  has  been  attained  as  the  result  of  last  year's  ex- 
tensive experience.  We  are  now,  therefore,  enabled  to  offer  for  $1,000  our 
new  Model  Evaporator,  which  has  all  the  recent  improvements,  and  is  better 
adapted  to  the  use  of  individuals  and  communities  than  the  old  model,  which 
could  only  be  made  and  operated  at  a  cost  which  placed  it  beyond  the  reach  of 
those  of  moderate  means. 

DESCRIPTION  OF  ALDEN'S  PNEUMATIC  EVAPORATOR. 

The  apparatus  used  is  so  completely  adapted  to  its  purposes,  and  such  com- 
plete directions  are  given  for  its  operation,  that  it  can  be  properly  used  by  anv 
one  of  ordinary  capacity,  and  unskilled,  and  otherwise  unavailable  labor  (that 
of  boys  and  girls),  is  advantageously  employed.  Fruits  and  vegetables  can  be 
bought,  evaporated,  and  prepared  for  market  the  same  day.  The  improved 
TnachineiT  for  preparing  (peeling,  slicing,  etc.)  has  proved  to  be  perfecdy 
adapted  to  its  uses,  and  there  is  now  no  difficulty  in  producing  such  cleanlv  cut, 
unbruised  fruits  as  are  required  in  order  to  manullicture  first-class  evaporated 
articles. 

This  promises  a  revolution  in  agriculture  and  commerce.  Succulent  crops 
of  all  kinds,  though  worth,  where  marketable,  four  or  five  times  the  product  of 
the  same  acres  in  cereals,  have  hitherto  been  worthless,  on  a  large  scale,  at  a 
little  distance  from  city  markets.  Their  tenderness  and  bulkiness  forbade  trans- 
portation to  a  distant  market,  and  thus  agriculture  has  been  generally  confined 
to  a  few  hardy  staples,  affording  but  a  meagre  profit.  Now,  however,  these 
richest  of  crops  (the  succulent)  are  to  be  also  the  safest  and  cheapest  to  market. 
A  thousand  dollars'  ivorlh  of  apples,  peaches,  tomatoes,  sweet  potatoes,  pumpkins,  or 
anything  else  of  the  sort,  ivill  not  only  comefroin  one  fourth  the  acres  required  for 
one  thousand  dollars  ivorth  of  ivheat,  or  any  other  of  the  present  agricultural  staples, 
hut  will  go  into  one  fourth  the  barrels,  atid  zvill  go  to  any  port  on  the  globe  for  one- 
fourth  the  freight. 

The  inventor  of  the  Aldcn  Processes  expects,  not  without  reason,  to  see  agri- 
culture raised,  by  his  agency,  from  one  of  the  worst  paid  pursuits  of  men.  to 
one  of  the  most  lucrative.  The  means  of  doing  this,  demand  the  urgent  atten- 
tion of  every  farmer,  and  of  every  farming  coniniunitv. 

THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  FRUIT  DRYING. 

To  dry  fruit  so  as  to  make  it  keep  is  the  entire  idea  of  many  persons.  Dried 
fruit  is  dried  fruit  to  them,  and  there  are  consumers  just  like  them,  and  hence 


the  poorer  qualities  will  find  a  market  at  a  poor  price.  Others  have  respect  to 
neatness  in  drv-ing  their  fruit,  and  find  the  extra  care  and  attention  bestowed  in 
preserving  the  color  uniform,  without  the  appearance  of  burned  or  decayed 
spots,  amply  rewarded  in  the  extra  price  their  fruit  brings  in  the  market.  There 
is  a  step  far  above  this  which  has  been  stimulated  by  Mr.  Alden,  whose  process, 
of  dessicating  fruit  has  revealed  a  philosophy  in  the  matter  which  is  entirely 
revolutionizing  the  old  process  of  dessication,  and  which  is  still  not  generally 
understood. 

The  true  philosophy  of  fruit  diying  is  to  remove  the  water}-  portions  of  the 
fruit,  so  as  to  convert  the  saccharine  elements  into  sugar,  by  a  rapid  ripening 
process,  in  the  shortest  possible  time  without  cooking  the  fruit.  Cooking  will 
alter  the  flavor  of  most  fresh  fruits;  so  will  a  slow  process  of  drying,  giving 
portions  of  it  the  taste  of  fruit  partially  decayed.  The  more  rapidly  the  water)r 
portions  are  removed  when  the  fruit  has  arrived  at  perfection,  the  richer  and 
more  permanent  will  be  its  flavor.  The  more  completeh"  it  is  excluded  from  the 
oxygen  of  the  air,  the  more  perfect  will  be  its  color.  The  rapidit}'  of  the  pro- 
cess of  drying  increases  the  amount  of  sugar,  sometimes  as  much  as  2  5  per  cent., 
and  the  increase  of  sugar  will  be  just  in  proportion  to  the  rapidity  with  which 
the  fluid  portions  of  the  fruit  are  removed,  while  the  fruit  remains  uninjured  by 
heat. 

Every  one  who  has  boiled  the  sap  of  sugar  maple,  or  juice  of  sorgham,  or  the 
sugar  beet,  knows  that  if  these  juices  are  left  to  evaporate  slowly  no  sugar  will  be 
formed — saccharine  matter  will  either  pass  off"  in  evaporation  or  will  be  converted 
into  acetic  acid — but  if  they  are  evaporated  by  boiling,  sugar  will  be  formed,  and 
the  more  briskly  they  are  kept  boiling,  the  greater  the  amount  of  sugar  from  a 
given  quantit\-  of  juice.  The  chemical  change  by  which  the  starchy  portions  of 
the  fruit  is  converted  into  sugar,  when  the  temperature  is  raised,  is  very  similar 
to  that  which  takes  place  in  the  ripening  of  fruit  on  the  tree  under  the  warm 
rays  of  the  sun,  but  much  more  rapidly. 

A  few  days  in  the  warm  sun  will  convert  so  much  of  the  juices  of  the  goose- 
berrry  and  grape  into  sugar  that  the  acid  and  astringent  green  fruit  becomes  a. 
delicious  luxury.  A  few  hours  when  the  fruit  arrives  at  the  proper  stage  under 
proper  conditions  will  suffice  for  even  a  greater  change  in  the  drying  process- 
This  is  a  study  that  has  only  just  begun  to  awake  the  attention  of  progressive 
fruitgrowers.  If  the  fruit  is  kept  at  a  temperature  of  212=  it  is  cooked  while 
the  evaporation  is  taking  place,  and  no  after  care  can  restore  the  flavor  once 
changed  by  this  temperature.  This  must  be  carefully  kept  in  mind.  Another 
point  is  equally  important — the  surface  of  the  dn-'mg  fruit  should  be  kept  moist 
and  soft,  so  as  to  allow  the  easy  and  rapid  passage  of  the  internal  moisture  to- 
the  surface,  and  a  rapid  current  of  heated  air  should  pass  over  the  surface  of  the 
fruit,  while  drying,  to  carry  away  the  moisture.  Hence  it  is  evident  that  cold 
air  must  not  be  admitted  into  any  devise  for  dr^dng  fruit,  and  also  that  a  draft 
must  be  opened  above  the  fruit  where  the  moisture-charged  heated  air  will 
rapidl}'  pass  oft".  - 


9 

It  has  been  objected  tliat  fruit  can  never  dry  in  a  healed  atmosphere  liUcd  with 
moisture.  This  objection  is  theoretical,  not  philosophical  or  real,  when  the 
moist  air  is  in  motion,  as  our  philosophies  taught  us  years  ago. 

Air  at  the  freezing  point,  32°,  holds  one  1 60th  of  its  weight  of  water  as  vapor, 
and  its  capacity  for  holding  moisture  is  doubled  with  every  27°  of  temperature 
above  32°,  or  the  freezing  point,  so  that  at  59°  of  the  thermometer  die  air  will 
absorb  the  80th  part  of  its  weight;  at  86^^  the  40th;  at  113°  the  20th;  at  140° 
loth;  at  167'^,  5th;  at  194°,  die  2.5;  and  at  221'^'  V.  the  air  will  absorb  almost 
its  own  weight  of  moisture,  or  nearly  one  pound  of  water  to  ever}-  one  sixth  cubic 
feet  of  air.  Now  it  is  evident  that  if  this  amount  of  moisture  was  contained  in 
the  air  at  rest,  the  fruit  would  never  dry.  Hence  the  necessity  of  carrj-ing  off 
the  moisture — -loaded  air — as  rapidly  as  possible  by  an  active  draft. 

Another  fact  that  needs  to  enter  into  the  account:  evaporation  takes  place  at 
the  surface  of  bodies,  and  is  influenced  not  only  by  temperature  and  drA-ness, 
but  by  the  stillness  and  density  of  the  air  in  which  the  article  to  be  dried  is  placed. 

If  the  air  be  heated  and  at  rest,  as  in  an  air  tight  oven,  fruit  will  not  dry, 
though  the  dry  air  will  be  loaded  with  moisture.  \\'ind,  air  in  motion,  is  neces- 
sarv  to  dry  any  substance,  and  more  is  due  to  the  wind  than  to  the  sun  in  dning 
the  earth  after  a  shower;  so  a  current  of  heated  diy  air,  constantly  supplying  the 
place  of  the  moisture  charged  air  carried  oft'  b\-  the  draft,  is  the  grand  secret  of 
success  in  drying  fruits. 

NATURE  OF  THE  ALDEN  EVAPORATING  PROCESS. 

Pneumatic  Evaporation  as  scientifically  perfected  by  'Sir.  Alden,  is  essentially 
a  novel  art  ;  not  onlv  distinct  from,  but  opposite  to  desiccation,  so  called,  in 
chemical  principles  and  practical  results.  It  is  a  process  which  not  only  fore- 
stalls decay,  and  which  not  only  seizes  and  perpetuates  the  fresh  flavor,  color 
and  texture  of  the  article  (animal  or  vegetable)  subjected  to  it,  but  which,  in 
doing  these  things,  at  the  same  time  carries  out  the  organic  process  of  ripening 
itself  to  an  artificial  perfection,  on  the  same  principles  incompletely  used  by 
Nature,  and  with  a  correspondent  increase  of  the  nutritive  product. 

The  means  employed  by  'Sir.  Alden  to  produce  these  results  are  threefold — 
namely,  rapid  circulation  of  hot  air,  accurately  adapted  and  graduated  heat,  and 
at  all  times  a  considerable  portion  of  humidity.  It  will  be  noticed  that  each  of 
these  points  stand  directly  contrary  both  to  the  process  of  desiccation  or  kiln 
drying,  and  to  that  of  ordinary  air  drying. 

In  all  forms  of  life,  animated  and  vegetative,  water  is  the  circulating  medium 
of  life  and  growth,  until  these  are  perfected,  and  then  reverses  its  fui:iftion,  and 
becomes  the  minister  of  death  and  decay.  To  absorb  the  water,  therefore,  is  to 
stop  the  integrating  or  disintegrating  process,  whichever  may  be  going  on,  with 
equal  certainty.  In  the  Alden  process,  the  rapid  circulation  of  the  fresh,  heated 
current,  first  stimulates  the  circulation  of  the  sap  in  the  fruit,  antl  keeps  up  a 
rapid  oxygenation  and  super-ripe7iing  of  the  mucous  ingredients  to  grape  sugar, 
so  long  as  any  free  moisture  remains.     At  the  end,   the  free  moi.sture  having 


10 

been  partly  fixed  and  the  rest  removed,  the  fruit  or  vegetable  tissue  remain  in- 
corruptible by  the  further  access  of  oxygen,  to  indefinite  time. 

At  first,  while  fresh  and  wet  on  the  surface,  the  vegetative  tissue  will  endure 
for  a  few  moments  a  high  degree  of  heat,  not  only  without  scalding,  but  without 
becoming  heated  ;  just  as  one  may  pick  up  a  living  coal  or  snufi"  a  candle  with 
a  moistened  thumb  and  finger.  As  the^surface  moisture  evaporates,  that  within 
is  drawn  forth,  by  the  law  of  equilibrium,  to  take  its  place.  In  this  manner  an 
internal  circulation  is  excited  and  kept  up  throughout  the  process,  answering  to 
that  in  living  fruit  on  the  tree,  and  with  similar  effect.  The  active  circulation 
of  the  acidulated  and  oxygenated  juice,  at  the  proper  temperature,  through  the 
mass  of  crude  material,  brings  the  combining  atoms  into  contact,  and  is  actually 
found  to  effect  a  preternaturalh'  rapid  oxidization  of  the  mucous  or  starchy  in- 
gredients ;  "  ripening"  them,  in  other  words,  to  saccharine  matter,  to  the 
amount,  in  two  or  three  hours,  of  nearly  twenty-five  per  cent,  on  the  whole 
amount  of  such  matter  .developed  by  weeks  of  ripening  on  the  tree.  This 
marvellous  result  has  been  incontestably  ascertained  by  chemical  analysis  of  the 
highest  authority. 

As  soon,  however,  as  the  average  moisture  of  the  fruit  begins  to  diminish  in 
the  heated  current,  so  as  to  raise  its  temperature,  the  fruit  is  moved  upward  a 
regular  stage,  and  a  fresh  screen  of  fruit  is  introduced  in  its  place  and  beneath 
it.  The  fresh  screen  of  fruit  takes  up  its  quota  of  heat  from  the  air  current, 
leaving  the  latter  to  pass  upwards  to  the  first  screen,  just  as  much  less  hot  as  the 
fruit  above  is- less  moist  and  less  able  to  absorb  the  heat  by  evaporation.  (All 
know  that  evaporation  is  cooling.)  At  intervals,  .scientifically  adjusted,  the 
whole  series  of  fruit  screens  in  the  evaporator  is  moved  upward  at  once  (being 
carried  by  an  endless  chain),  so  that  every  screen  of  fruit,  at  every  stage  of  its 
progress,  preserves  a  uniform  projiortion  of  heat  to  moisture,  and  therefore  a 
uniform  temperature.  As  the  moisture  of  the  fruit  diminishes,  so  does  the  heat 
of  the  air  current  that  strikes  it  ;  and  thus  the  finished  fruit  coming  out  at  the 
top  of  the  evaporator  with  the  tepid  and  vaporous  exhaust  of  the  air  current,  is 
actually  neither  cooler  nor  warmer  than  the  fresh  fruit  while  passing  through 
the  fresh  heat  at  the  beginning. 

In  the  course  of  the  first  five  or  six  hours  (or  with  some  fruits  and  vegetables 
a  longer  time),  the  first  screen  of  fruit  introduced  has  reached  the  top  of  the 
evaporator  in  a  finished  state,  proof  henceforth  against  decay.  The  whole  shaft 
is  now  filled  with  say  one  thousand  pounds.  Going  oft"  finished,  one  screen  at 
a  time,  every  few  minutes,  in  another  six  hours,  more  or  less,  the  whole  shaft 
full  will  be  issued  (giving  place  to  as  many  more)  in  two  modes  ;  eighty  per 
cent,  of  it,  say  eight  hundred  pounds,  having  flown  away  on  the  wings  of  the 
wind  as  vaporized  water,  and  two  hundred  pounds  having  been  lifted  oft  and 
laid  aside  by  human  hands  as  Alden  Fruit,  imperishable,  but  bright,  clean  and 
fresh,  in  color  and  taste,  as  it  first  went  in.  All  the  moisture  that  has  not 
become  chemically  engaged  as  hydrate,  in  the  glucose  syrup  that  gives  Alden 
Fruit  it  peculiar  soft  and  moist  feel  to  the  fingers,  has  been  carried  off  in  the 


11 

air.  Havin£^  accomjilished  its  part  in  the  ripeninf?  and  super-ripening  process, 
it  is  removed  before  it  can  commence  pulling  down  what  it  has  built  up. 

,  THE  ALDEN  PROCESS 

'Slay  be  briefly  described  as  a  method  for  maturing  and  preserving  animal  and 
vegelalile  substances,  in  part  through  evaporation,  and  in  part  through  chemical 
binding  of  their  organic  moisture,  by  exposing  the  same  to  a  current  of  heated 
and  humid  air,  increasing  in  humidity,  and  decreasing  in  heat  as  the  evapora- 
tion proceeds,  said  current  of  air  moving  in  the  same  direction  with  the  articles 
to  be  treated. 

The  principal  part  of  the  apparatus  consists  of  a  vertical  chamber,  or  shaft, 
twenty  to  twenty-five  feet  high,  and  three  to  five  feet  square,  containing  a  series 
of  frames,  one  above  another,  four  and  one  quarter  inches  apart,  covered  with 
netting,  and  moved  upward  all  together  by  endless  chains.  The  heating  appa- 
ratus is  placed  under  this  chamber,  from  which  currents  of  air,  heated  to  any 
required  temperature,  pass  up,  through,  and  around  the  frames.  On  each  frame 
is  spread  ten  to  twenty  pounds  of  fruit.  The  lowest  frame  is  first  placed  in  the 
chamber  directly  over  the  heat,  at  the  bottom  of  the  shaft,  where  in  remains 
from  two  to  six  minutes.  It  is  then  moved  up  four  and  one-quarter  inches,  and 
another  frame  of  fruit  is  placed  beneath  it.  At  regular  intervals  the  whole  series 
of  frames  are  moved  upward  four  and  one  quarter  inches,  and  a  fresh  frame  is 
put  on  beneath  them,  until  the  frames  are  all  in,  containing  (if  apples)  fifteen  to 
thirty  bushels  of  fruit.  At  this  time  the  shaft  being  full,  one  frame  is  taken  ofl^ 
at  the  top,  and  one  is  put  in  at  the  bottom  at  regular  intervals,  varj-ing  with  the 
variety  of  fruit  treated,  and  the  thickness  of  the  slices  or  pieces.  Each  bushel 
of  apples  contains  about  forty  pounds  of  water,  which  is  seized  by  the  ascending 
air,  and  passes  with  it  up,  through,  and  around  the  fruit  as  the  moisture  is  taken 
gradually  from  it,  enveloping  it  to  the  last  in  a  cloud  of  vapor.  The  pores  of 
the  fruit  are  thus  kept  open,  free  for  the  circulation  and  exit  of  vapor,  until  all 
the  free  water  is  removed,  the  remainder (i6  per  cent.)  being  held  as  dydrate. 
It  is  well  known  that  fruit  will  not  mature,  ripen  or  sweeten  up,  in  strictly  dry 
weather,  nor  in  cold  wet  weather.  The  Alden  Evaporated  Fruit  follows  the 
law  of  nature  in  this  respect.  It  does  not  become,  therefore,  a  dried  fruit,  in 
the  ordinar)'  acceptation  of  that  term,  but  it  is  preserved  in  its  own  concen- 
trated y'tt/ccj-,  and  will  keep  for  years  in  any  climate.  The  flavor  is  retained,  and 
the  development  of  glucose,  or  grape  sugar,  is  perfect. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  current  of  dry  heated  air  applied  to  the  cut  surfaces  of 
fresh  fruit,  will  form  a  skin  or  covering,  which  confines  the  acids,  etc.,  within, 
and,  under  a  moderate  heat,  partial  fermentation  ensues,  as  in  sun-dried  fruits; 
while,  if  the  heat  is  too  great,  in  a  close  chamber  or  oven,  the  saccharine  mat- 
ter is  changed  into  caramel,  or  burnt  sugar,  the  result  of  which  is  seen  in  the 
dark-colored,  partially  soured,  leather}',  decayed,  or  charred  fruits,  found  in  the 
market,  selling  for  about  one-half  the  price  of  the  Alden  goods.  The  cores 
and  skins  of  apples  can  be,  at  a  trifling  expense,  converted  into  pure  vinegar, 
cider,  or  jellv. 


12 

BUILDINGS. 

A  balloon-frame,  three-story  building,  say  40x32  feet,  28  feet  high,  with  roof 
of  one-quarter  pitch,  and  7-foot  cellar,  will  receive  from  3  to  5  Evaporators,  and 
afford  room  for  manufacturing  purposes,  storage,  etc.  The  fruits,  etc.,  are  re- 
ceived, prepared,  (peeled,  sliced,  etc.),  and  put  into  the  Evaporator  on  the  first 
story,  pass  upward,  through  the  machines  to  the  third  story,  where  they  are  re- 
moved from  the  Evaporators  and  thrown  down  through  openings  in  the  floor  to 
the  second  story,  where  they  can  be  packed  at  leisure.  Such  a  building  will 
cost  from  $1,000  to  $1,500.  Almost  any  ordinarv^  building  can  be  cheaply  al- 
tered into  a  serviceable  factor}';  the  essential  point  is  height,  which  can  rapidly 
be  obtained  by  raising  a  small  portion  of  the  roof  of  a  low  building.  A  com- 
mon barn  can,  at  a  small  cost,  be  adapted  to  the  reception  of  Evaporators; 
small  platforms,  accessible  by  a  ladder,  or  by  cheap  stairs,  can  be  erected  at 
the  tops  of  the  machines,  and  the  remainder  of  the  building  may  be  left  entirely 
open.  The  Company  furnishes  to  each  purchaser,  without  charge,  plans,  speci- 
fications, working-drawings  and  directions,  either  for  the  erection  of  new  build- 
ings, or  the  alteration  of  old,  and  give  their  superintendence  to  the  perfect  erec- 
tion of  the  Evaporators,  when  desired. 

INSTRUCTIONS  TO   SUPERINTENDENTS. 

Engage  your  fruit  ahead  as  far  as  possible.  Luck  may  bring  a  feast  to-day, 
and  a  famine  to-morrow. 

Keep  a  careful  account  of  your  expenditures,  and  a  close  watch  of  your  em- 
ployees. 

Maintain  a  steady  heat.  This  is  important.  We  believe  it  can  be  done  best 
by  the  foreman  in  charge,  if  the  fuel  is  placed  conveniently.  The  fires  will  not 
need  more  than  two  five-minute  visits  per  hour.  Thus  you  dispense  with  a 
fireman. 

Do  not  admit  too  much  cold  air  on  the  heater.  Generally  you  will  find 
about  two  feet  of  opening  sufficient,  and  this  should  be  divided  between  the 
several  openings. 

Watch  your  Evaporators  closely.  A  change  in  the  direction  or  velocity  of  the 
wind,  or  in  the  moisture  of  the  air,  aff'ects  your  work  at  once.  Examine  the 
frames  often  from  the  middle,  as  well  as  from  the  upper  doors,  to  be  sure  that 
nothing  is  going  wrong. 

Never  skip  a  frame  nor  allow  cut  fruit  to  accumulate.  It  will  interfere  with 
the  discipline  of  your  employees,  and  impair  the  quality  of  your  products. 

Leave  openings  between  the  frames  and  evaporators  on  alternate  sides  of  the 
evaporator,  to  insure  a  zigzag  current  of  the  heat. 

Keep  the  millers  away/ro?n  your  dried  fruit.  That  is  a  vital  point.  To  secure 
it  you  will  need  tight  bins  for  storing  your  product,  and  it  would  be  well  to  have 
wire  or  mosquito  netting  in  your  doors  and  windows.  Keep  posted  on  the  market. 
It  will  not  always  pay  best  to  work  what  promises  the  largest  profit.  The  com- 
mission merchant  needs  a  full  line  and  regular  supply  of  goods,  and  can  make 


13 

better  sales  if  he  lias  them.  Help  one  iviother.  Factories  will  not  stand  in  the 
market  so  much  upon  their  individual  merits,  as  upon  the  general  rejAitation  of 
Alden  goods. 

ALDEN  FRUIT  JELLY,  FRUIT  FLOUR  AND   CRYSTALLIZED  FRUITS. 

The  prosecution  ot  the  business  is  constantly  developing  new  sources  of 
profit.  Aldeh  Fruit  Jellv,  made  from  the  cores  and  skins  of  apples,  etc.,  has 
been  extensively  sold  for  the  last  three  years,  and  is  superior  to  any  other  in  the 
market.  The  finest  qualities  of  crj-stallized  fruits  are  made  by  immersing- 
peaches,  citron,  melon,  etc.,  in  hot  sugar  syrup,  rolling  them  in  powdered  sugar, 
and  then  evaporating  them.  These  candied  products  are  equal  to  the  imported 
candied  fruits,  and  command  high  prices.  ^Making  conserves  and  marmalade 
have  only  began  to  attract  the  attention  of  fruit  growers.  But  these  methods 
are  designed  to  form  an  important  branch  of  this  department  of  industr}-,  and 
if  consen-es  and  marmalade  are  well  prepared  they  will  largely  increase  the 
demand  for  American  productions,  and  stimulate  the  growing  of  fruit,  ^\'e  are 
now  largely  dependent  on  the  French  for  our  conserved  fruits,  which  are  sold  at 
ver}-  high  prices,  but  which  may  just  as  well  be  prepared  here.  During  the 
past  year  Vegetable  Flour  has  been  introduced  to  the  trade  ;  the  onl}-  articles 
extensively  treated  have  been  pumpkins  and  squashes  ;  the  pumpkin  and  squash 
flour  has  been  sold  in  large  quantities  at  thirty  cents  per  pound  (at  wholesale)  and 
has  given  unqualified  satisfaction. 

ALDEN  RAISINS. 

Several  of  our  factories  haye  experimented,  to  some  extent, 'on  grapes,  and 
the  raisins  produced  have  given  great  satisfaction,  both  financially  and  other- 
wise ;  so  much  so  that  all  the  factories  will,  during  the  coming  season,  make 
preparations  for  manufacturing  raisins  in  large  quantities.  These  raisins  have 
been  carefully  examined  by  competent  judges,  all  of  whom  have  pronounced 
them  excellent,  ^^'e  copy  a  few  of  the  many  favorable  i)ress  notices  which  our 
raisins  have  received  : 

•'We  have  tasted  some  white  Muscat  raisins  dried  by  the  Alden  Process  at  Vacaville,  and 
they  are  diffen^nt  in  appearance  and  flavor  from  any  other  raisin.  They  suit  us  better  thart 
any  other  grape  we  have  tasted,  save  the  Huasco  cf  Peru. — Aha. 

Los  Angeles  Raisins. — ^^■e  have  before  us  samples  of  raisins  from  the  Los  Angeles- 
Alden  Fruit  Preserving  Company,  of  which  Geo.  B.  Davis  is  manager.  There  are  two  kinds, 
the  Los  Angeles  Mission  Grape  and  the  White  Muscat.  Both  will  have  a  thorough  examina- 
tion. Those  of  the  Mission  variety  are  of  medium  size  only,  but  are  clean  and  glossy  in 
appearance,  satisfacfory  to  the  touch,  and  are  sweet  and  rich  ;  possessing  all  the  qualities 
of  a  good  cooking  raisin.  In  proof  of  its  marketable  value  is  the  fact  that  a  large  propor- 
tion of  the  late  crop  has  been  sold  at  15  cents  per  pound.  A  sale  of  15  tons  was  made  to 
one  purchaser  in  Arizona,  at  the  above  price. 

The  Muscats  are  of  larger  size  and  lighter  color,  presenting  an  inviting  appearance,  hav- 
ing an  excellent  flavor.  This  variety  of  grape  is  now  figuring  conspicuously  in  the  great 
raisin  movement,  and  will  undoubtedly  be  one  of  the  leading  varieties  that  are  to  be  con- 
verted into  raisins. 


14 

In  conversing  with  a  prominent  retail  grocer  recently,  he  expressed  the  opinion  that  at 
the  expiration  of  the  next  five  years,  there  would  be  no  foreign  raisins  offered  in  the  markets 
«f  this  country. — Pacific  Rural  Press. 

The  foregoing  is  from  our  Circular  of  last  year.  During  the  past  season  our 
expectations  have  been''fully  realized.  The  raisins  manufactured  by  the  factori- 
al Jackson,  in  Amador  County,  are  very  fine,  both  in  flavor  and  color,  and  have 
found  a  ready  sale  at  good  prices.  The  proprietors  of  that  factoiy  are  Italians, 
who  have  lived  in  Spain  and  have  had  some  experience  in  manipulating  grapes, 
and  thev  have  discovered  the  proper  way  to  treat  grapes  preparatory  to  making 
raisins  bv  the  Alden  Process.  This  discovery  is  not  patented  and  will  be  com- 
municated to  all  who  purchase  from  us.  They  succeeded  best  with  the  ^luscat 
of  Alexandria,  samples  of  which  can  be  seen  in  our  office. 

An  Alden  Factory  of  five  evaporators,  new  style,  has  a  capacit}"  of  turning  out 
three  thousand  pounds  of  such  raisins  every  twenty-four  hours,  at  an  expendi- 
ture of  82 5.00  for  labor,  fuel,  etc.  Let  us  put  this  raisin  proposition  in  tabular 
form  : 

9,000  lbs.  grapes,  at  i  cent  per  lb S  90  00 

Labor,  fuel,  etc 20  00 

Boxes  and  packing  3,000  lbs.  raisins 35  00 

Total  cost  of  producing  same Si 4 5  00 

3,000  lbs.  raisins  (i  lb  from  3)  at  locts.perlb $300  00 

Deduct  cost  of  producing  same 145  00 

Profit  for  24  hours S   155   00 

Profit  for  30  days,  of  24  hours 4.650  00 

We  are  prepared  to  guarantee  above  results,  under  proper  management,  and 
have  no  doubt  such  raisins,  when  once  known  in  the  market,  will  sell  for  more 
than  ten  cents  per  pound.  But  even  at  that  price,  the  result  of  thirty  days' 
operation  would  be  ten  per  cent,  interest  upon  §46,500,  which  ought  to  satisfy 
any  person  of  moderate  expectations,  and  certainly  pays  better  than  feeding 
grapes  to  hogs  and  cattle. 

There  are  other  varieties  of  grapes  that,  cured  by  the  Alden  process,  are  very 
nice  for  cooking  purposes,  but  we  would  advise  grafting  the  ^luscat,  Larga; 
Seedless  Sultana  and  Zante  currant  upon  the  common  vines.  The  operation  is 
simple,  and  the  new  wood  will  bear  a  moderate  crop  the  first  year.  The  Larga 
is  a  prolific  bearer  of  large,  luscious  grapes,  which  make  excellent  raisins,  yield- 
ing one  pound  from  two,  though  most  people  prefer  the  flavor  of  the  INIuscat  of 
Alexandria. 

INDIVIDUAL  VERSUS  CO-OPERATIVE  ENTERPRISE. 

L'pon  this  point  we  submit  the  following  from  the  Pacific  Rural  Press  of 
October  3,  1874.  =^  :h  :,  h=  * 

"It  is  evident  that  for  the  individual  fanner  to  conduct  a  manufacturing  business  would  be 
poor  policy.  Such  things  can  only  be  done  successfully  by  combination,  centralization  and 
division  of  labor.     Even  if  each  person  attempting  to  carry  on  the  business  of  drying  fruit 


15 

was  for  a  brief  time  succtssful,  there  woukl  soon  be  such  a  disparity  in  the  (luality  of  the 
product,  and  so  much  of  the  poorly  prepared  article  thrown  on  the  market,  that  the  repu- 
tation of  California  dried  fruits  would  be  anything  but  enviable.  And  if  for  no  other  rea- 
son than  that  the  general  good  in  this  case  would  be  the  only  sure  profit  of  the  individual, 
the  co-operative  plan  recommends  itself. 

The  dairy-men  of  New  York  and  other  States  were  forced  to  it,  and  the  result  was  the 
establishment  of  large  lactories  on  the  co  operative  plan,  which  now  turn  out  cheese  of  a 
standard,  uniform  and  excellent  quality. 

Suppose  that  each  of  the  fruit  growers  of  a  certain  locality  was  to  carry  his  fruit  on  speci- 
fied contract  terms  to  a  certain  factory,  of  a  size  proportionate  to  the  resources  of  the  section 
in  which  it  was  located,  and  conducted  by  a  skillful  superintendent  of  business  capacity, 
whose  attention  would  be  solely  devoted  to  this  specialty.  The  consequence  would  be  that 
the  manufactured  article  would  be  of  standard  excellence,  the  farmers  would  be  relieved 
of  personal  embarrassment  and  responsibility,  and  the  profits  would  be  vastly  increased. 
The  plan  has  been  tried,  and  zuith  success.^' 

ADVANTAGES  OP  THE  ALDEN  METHOD. 

^^'e  copy  the  following  from  the  Sacramento  Record  : 

"  The  advantages  of  the  Alden  Method  over  canning  or  sun-drying  are  manifest.  In  the 
first  place  the  flavor  of  the  fruit  is  retained  to  an  almost,  if  not  to  an  equal  extent  in  the 
Alden  Piocess  as' in  the  canning.  For  our  own  part,  to  the  fruits  we  have  tried  preserved  by 
the  Alden  Process,  we  give  the  preference  over  canned,  for  table  use  and  for  cooking  pur- 
poses, and  we  think  that  will  be  the  general  verdict.  »  »  *  -• 

By  sun-drying,  the  fruit  undergoes  a  complete  fermentation,  thereby  destroying  all  the 
natural  flavor  of  the  green  fruit,  and  substituing  dried  fruit  taste,  so  inseparable  from  all  fruits 
dried  in  this  way.  Again,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  conduct  the  business  of  drying  in  the 
sun  on  a  scale  equal  to  the  demands  of  California  producers.  This  proposition  needs  no 
proof.  Experience  has  demonstrated  this.  Then,  too,  the  insects  in  our  peculiar  climate 
are  destruction  to  the  sun-dried  fruit  by  depositing  eggs  on  the  same,  while  exposed  to  dry, 
unless  before  packing  the  fruit  shall  be  subjected  to  a  process  by  which  they  shall  be  des- 
troyed. This  latter  process  would  be  an  extra  expense  almost  equal  to  the  wliole  expense 
of  the  Alden  Process,  and  then  you  will  have  an  inferior  article  at  greater  cost."" 

LiTTLEFlELD,    WeBB  &  Co, 

Wholesale  Commission  Merchants, 

San  Francisco,  Dec.  20,  1875. 
To  G.  \V.  Deitzler,  Esq., 

I^resident  Alden  Fruit  Preserving  Company  of  California. 

Dear  Sir  : — In  response  to  your  enquiry  of  this  date  concerning  our  operations  in  the 
Alden  Fruit  and  Vegetables  for  the  past  year,  we  beg  to  submit  the  following  : 

We  are  pleased  to  note  a  steady  and  increasing  demand  for  these  goods — a  demand 
coming  not  alone  from  one  quarter,  but  gradually  extending  to  every  section  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  and  Territories,  as  well  as  the  Eastern  and  -Southern  States  and  Europe,  and  pervad- 
ing (though  slightly  as  yet)  the  Australian  colonies,  who  are  large  consumers  of  canned  and 
dried  Iruits,  which  trade  in  this  particular  line,  if  it  can  once  be  secured,  will  form  no 
small  item  in  our  export  lists. 

We  would  call  the  attention  of  the  Alden  factories  to  the  advisability  of  packing  their 
goods  (or  at  least  a  portion  of  them)  in  attractive,  handy  packages,  for  the  retail  trade — say 
in  one  and  two  pound  paper  boxes,  and  perhaps  some  five-pound  packages  would  not  be 
amiss. 

This  still  would  be  much  more  salisiactory,  we  imagine,  to  storekeepers,  etc.,  as  the 
goods  would  not  only  be  more  convenient  to  handle  than  as  present  packed,  but  a  more 
attractive  display  could  be  made,  which  would  naturally  tend  to  increase  the  sule.     This 


16 

course  has  been  pursued,  we  believe,  by  many  Eastern  factories  operating  under  the  Alden 
process,  with  satisfactory  results,  and  we  think  the  plan  could  be  carried  out  here  with 
profit.  While  we  as  yet  carry  a  full  line  of  apples  and  pears,  we  have  been  compelled,  in 
order  to  supply  our  Iccal  demand,  to  order  certain  kinds  of  Alden  goods  from  the  Eastern 
markets,  though  we  can  see  no  good  reason  why  this  state  of  affairs  should  exist  ;  and  we 
trust  that  during  the  coming  season  the  remedy  will  be  applied,  and  California  will  not  be 
obliged  to  depend  upon  the  East  for  certain  descriptions  of  Alden  goods,  which  can  be 
produced  here  in  such  abundance,  and  for  which  a  good  market  has  been  found  at  prices 
which  certainly  should  leave  a  fair  margin  for  the  factory. 

We  have  continued  to  devote  our  best  care  to  the  Alden  interests,  and  have  left  nothing 
imdone  to  introduce  and  make  known  the  goods  at  all  new  points  where  there  was  likeli- 
hood of  sale.  At  the  same  time,  however,  we  notice  that  some  factories  are  disposed  to 
"chop"  around  and  create  competitive  agenciesTor  the  sale  of  the  goods,  which  policy  is,  in 
our  opinion,  if  long  pursued,  calculated  to  prove  prejudicial  to  the  Alden  interests  of  the 
entire  coast.  As  we  have  before  intimated,  to  secure  harmony  and  a  uniform  price  in  the 
disposal  of  the  Alden  goods,  from  different  factories  (the  goods  being  of  equal  quality), 
shipments  should  be  made  to  one  general  sole  agency,  whereby  all  competition  would  be 
prevented,  and  the  best  interests  of  all  concerned  subserved  by  such  action. 

With  our  best  wishes  for  your  continued  success,  believe  us,  dear  sir,  yours  truly, 

LITTLEFIELD,  WEBB  &  CO. 


GOLD     MEDAL. 

Report  of  the  Committee  of  the  California  State  Agricultural  Society,  1874. 

"Your  committee  beg  to  report,  that  in  examining  the  dried  fruits  on  exhibition,  they 
were  highly  pleased  with  the  excellent  quality  and  great  commercial  value  of  the  fruits  and 
vegetables  entered  by  Geo.  W.  Deitzler,  President  of  the  Alden  Fruit  Co.,  of  California. 

These  articles  are  not  dried  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the  term,  but  are  preserved  in 
their  own  juices  by  this  peculiar  process,  and  it  is  claimed  will  keep  for  years  in  any  cli- 
mate. The  flavor  of  the  fresh  fruit  is  retained  and  it  is  free  from  that  dark  and  leathery 
appearance  which  is  always  found  in  the  sun  or  kiln-dried  fruits. 

The  Committee  have  no  hesitation  in  expressing  the  opinion  that  as  regards  appearance 
and  flavor,  the  articles  are  the  best  on  exhibition.  The  value  of  such  fruits  and  vegetables 
is  very  great. 

California  can  produce  in  unlimited  quantities  the  finest  fruits  and  vegetables  in  the  world, 
but  we  have  not  the  resident  population  to  consume  these  immense  productions  in  their 
fresh  state,  and  they  will  not  bear  transportation  to  distant  markets  ;  neither  can  we  hope 
to  find  a  remunerative  market  for  inferior  dried  fruits  and  vegetables  at  home  or  abroad  ; 
but  for  such  preserved  articles  as  those  under  consideration,  there  is,  it  seems,  no  danger  of 
overstocking  the  market. 

When  we  consid(n-  that  there  are  imported  annually  overViFTEEN  million  dollars'  worth 
of  dried  fruits,  ail  of  which  articles  can  be  raised  in  California  and  placed  upon  the  markets 
in  a  cured  condition  infinitely  superior  to  the  imported  articles,  the  importance  of  this  indus- 
try can  he  appreciated. 

In  view  of  these  considerations  we  deem  the  articles  on  exhibition  by  the  Alden  Company 
as  worthy  of  special  notice,  and  we  respectfully^  recommend  that  the  Board  of  Directors 
award  to  the  Company  tlie  Gold  Medal,  and  give  to  their  valuable  and  growing  industry 
every  possible  encouragement." 

W.  C.  HOPPING, 
ALFRED  BRIGGS, 
W.  R.  STRONG. 

We  are  gratified  to  be  able  to  state  that  the  Society  awarded  to  us  both  the 
Silver  and  Gold  Medals,  and  we  propose  to  keep  /hem,  having  no  fear  of  competi- 
tion. 


SUN-DRIED  FRUIT  A  FAILURE. 

Owing  to  the  peculiirity  of  our  climate,  a  climate  in  wliich  fruit  may  be  dried  as  rapidly 
and  with  as  little  expense  as  in  any  other  country,  the  system  of  drying  fruit  in  the  sun  is 
practically  a  Jailure.  This  may  strike  those  who  have  thought  but  little  on  the  subject,  and 
who  have  had  no  experience,  as  a  strange  proposition  ;  but,  to  the  practical  man,  the  man 
who  has  dried  fruit  in  the  sun,  and  kept  the  same  any  length  of  time  before  disposing 
of  it,  and  to  the  merchant  who  has  been  dealing  in  sun-dried  fruits,  and  had  box  after  box 
returned  to  him,  it  is  very  plain  and  easily  understood.  Tn  whatever  country  you  dry  fruits 
in  the  sun,  exposed  to  insects,  they  will  deposit  more  or  less  eggs  upon  it.  If  that  country 
be  a  cold  one,  like  the  Atlantic  States,  for  instance,  the  cold  weather  generally  sets  in  so 
early  that  these  eggs  are  not  hatched  out  in  the  Fall,  and  the  fruit  is  consumed  before  the 
warm  weather  of  the  following  Spring  ;  and  the  consumers  are  none  the  wiser  for  having 
consumed  with  the  iruit  millions  of  insects'  eggs.  In  this  State,  however,  these  eggs  hatch 
out  in  the  Fall,  and  very  generally  destroy  the  fruit  before  it  is  required  for  consumption. 
Our  dealers  generally  understand  the  danger  of  dealing  in  sun-dried  fruit,  and  many  of 
them  have  suffered  by  so  doing  ;  and  we,  in  the  line  of  our  business,  have  also  had  a  little 
experience,  which  we  will  relate.  While  Secretary  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society,  we 
made  an  exhibition  of  some  of  the  products  of  our  State,  at  the  International  Exposition  at 
Paris.  At  the  State  Fair  of  1866,  Briggs  Bros.,  the  extensive  orchardists  of  Marysville, 
exhibited  a  number  of  boxes  of  dried  fruits  of  various  kinds,  put  up  in  a  good  shape  for 
commerce.  The  fruit  itself  was  in  splendid  order,  and  attracted  general  attention  at  the 
Fair,  and  we  solicited  and  obtained  the  whole  to  send  among  other  articles  to  Paris.  After 
the  Fair,  some  two  months  elapsed  before  it  was  time  to  forward  the  goods  to  New  York, 
and  the  boxes  remained  in  a  safe  place  undisturbed.  When  ready  to  ship,  we  opened  one 
of  the  boxes,  and  found  that  the  fruit  had  turned  to  a  mass  of  worms.  Not  one  box  was 
found  but  was  in  the  same  condition. 

The  peculiarity  of  our  climate,  therefore,  requires  that  our  fruit  be  dried  by  artificial 
means,  or  that  all  the  sun-dried  fruit  to  keep  or  to  ship  be  put  through  some  process  by 
which  the  insect's  eggs  may  be  killed.  Unless  subjected  to  some  process  that  will  effect 
this,  it  is  neither  safe  to  the  individual  or  good  policy  to  ship  it  out  of  the  State,  or  to  sell 
it  to  those  who  desire  to  keep  it  for  Winter  use. — Sacramento  Record. 

ALDEN  FRUIT. 

A  careful  perusal  of  the  Alden  Fruit  Preserving  Company's  circular  for  1875,  together 
with  a  critical  examination  of  the  fruits  and  vegetables  preserved  by  this  peculiar  process, 
is  fully  convincing  that  this  new  industry,  which  is  already  so  well  established  and  prom- 
ises rapid  development,  will  bring  millions  oi  dollars  into  our  State.  We  can  raise  the 
finer  varieties  of  fruits,  such  as  peaches,  plums,  prunes,  apricots,  raisin  grapes  and  figs,  in 
unlimited  quantities,  and  these  fruits  can  be  cured  by  the  Alden  process  and  placed  upon 
the  market  m  an  imperishable  condition,  and  infinitely  superior  to  the  miported  articles. 
The  Alden  goods  have  a  prestige,  and  are  becoming  well  known  in  all  the  great  market 
centers  of  the  country,  and  command  a  high  price  wherever  offered.  These  facts  are 
worthy  the  attention  of  persons  who  propose  engaging  in  the  business  of  fruit  drying.  Ex- 
periments are  always  costly.  Therefore,  when  the  merits  and  utility  o(  an  invention  are 
established  and  recognized,  and  the  products  of  that  invention  become  staple,  it  is  well  to 
consider  the  probable  cost  attendant  upon  experimentation  with  imitations.  There  may  be 
other  processes  equally  good,  but  of  the  many  Iruit  dryers  that  have  been  patented  since 
the  introduction  of  the  .\lden  process,  some  four  years  ago,  not  one  has,  to  our  knowledge, 
been  put  into  successful  operation.  Our  fruit  growers  had  undoubtedly  better  adopt  the 
plan  that  stands,  afer several  years'  trial,  ademonstrated  success,  rather  than  to  venture  upon 
new  things  whereof  they  can  have  no  assurance  of  merit.  One  year's  crop  of  fruit  may 
enrich  a  man,  or  the  loss  of  it  break  him  ;  hence  it  is  better  to  use  a  process  that  has  been 
tested,  and  be  sure  to  save  it.  If  any  fruit  growers  are  tempted  to  experiment,  they  should 
require  the  vendors  to  establish  the  works  at  their  own  expense,  and  if  the  result  show  that 
what  has  been  promised  is  performed,  and  that  as  good  an  article  as  that  made  by  the 
Alden  process  is  produced  at  no  greater  cost,  then  tlie  price  agreed  upon  should  be  paid. 
This  plan  would  save  trouble,  cost  and  delay  to  our  fruit  growers,  and  if  it  is  not  satisfac- 
tory to  the  agents  of  the  new  fruit  dryers,  it  is  but  fair  to  suppose  that  their  contrivances 
lack  substantial  merit. 


Even  if  it  were  possible  to  succeed  in  making  as  good  an  article  as  the  Alden  by  any- 
imitative  process,  and  at  no  greater  cost,  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  goods  so  produced 
would  have  an  equal  market  value  with  the  Alden,  which  would  have  the  great  advantage 
of  being  known  and  appreciated  by  consumers.  A  new  product,  equally  good,  under  a 
new  name,  would  meet  with  a  comparatively  slow  demand. 

We  must  have  a  uniformly  good  article,  keep  up  the  highest  standard  of  excellence,  and 
so  get  a  reputation  for  California  dried  fruit,  which  will  always  secure  for  it  a  good  p:ice, 
for  we  have  the  world  for  a  market  and  our  own  time  to  sell. — Daily  Evening  Fast. 

Below  is  given  an  estimate  of  a  day's  work  of  24  hom-s  for  a  factory  of  five 
evaporators.     This  is  founded  on  the  experience  of  the  past  season. 


PARED  PEACHES. 

10  tons  Fruit,  at  $20  00 $200  00 

50  Boys  and  GirU  or  Chinamen,  at  75c 37  50 

i^  cords  Wood,  at  $8  cc lo  00 

2  Foremen,  at  $  I   50 3  00 

I  Superintendent., 2  50 

30  Boxes,  at  25c 7  50 

I  packer,  at  5  I   50  i   50 

S252  00 
Evaporated  Peaches,  2,000 lbs  ,  at  33c.  per  lb. .660  00 


FRENCH    PRUNES. 

7  tons  Fruit,  at  S40 $280  00 

S  Boys  and  Girls  or  Chinamen,  at  75c 6  30 

iVi  cords  Wood,  at  s8  00 10  co 

Foremen  and  Supermtendent 5  50 

Packers  and  Incidentals 10  00 

132  Boxes,  at  15c 19  80 


APPLES. 

10  tons  Apples,  at  $10  per  ton $100  00 

Paring  and  Coring  320  Boxes,  at  8c.  per  bo.x      25  to 

ij^  cords  of  Wood,  at  S 8  00 10  00 

2  Foremen  and  Superintendent 10  00 

40  cases,  at  25c 10  00 

Packing  and  Incidentals 7  50 

5163   10 
Evaporated  Apples,  2,500  lbs.,  at  14c  per  lb. ...350  00 

Deduct  from  this  the  value  of  cores  and  skins,  and 
it  will  reduce  the  cost  below  6  cents  per  lb. 

TOMATOES. 

8  tons  Fruit,  at  §10  00 gSo  00 

100  Boys  and  Girls  or  Chinamen,  at  75c 75  00 

i^  cords  Wood,  at  $8  00 10  00 

Foremen  and  Superintendent 1000 

75  ten  pound  Boxes,  at  11  cts 8  25 

Packer,  S2  50;  Incidentals,  $5  00 7  50 


Yield,  4,666  lbs.,  at  17c.  per  lb. 


$331  30 
793  22 


S190  73 
\  leld,  1,000  lbs.,  at  75c.  per  lb 650  00 


Contracts  can  be  made  witli  Chinamen,  by  which  the  expense  of  paring  the 
fruit,  etc.,  can  be  considerably  reduced. 

TAB    E      OP      PRINCIPAI.      ARTICLES     EVAPORATED,     WHOLESALE 
PRICES,    YIELD,    ETC. 


Apples 

Apricots 

Beef. 

Cherries- 

Corn 

Currants 

Nectarines 

Onions 

Peaches,  pared, 

Plums 

Potatoes 

Prunes,  French 

Peas 

Pears 

Pumpkin 

Rhubarb 

Squash 

Tomatoes 


p.  — 


4000  lbs. 

4000 

3000 

4000 

4000 

2000 

4030 

2000 

4000 

4000 

3000 

3000 

4000 

4000 

3  too 
3400 
3400 
4000 


500  lbs. 

560 

500 

440 

900 

300 

400 

200 

400 

640 

660 

880 

360 

560 

343 

275 

240 

280 


12K 

20 

16K 


16/3 
22 

33>S 
9  , 
12K 
10 

8/3 
10 
6K 


6 


16 


16 

32 

40 

55  ©75 

30 
30 
40 
40 


45 
30  @  45 


4^ 
8 

0    I-6@I2j^ 

3/3 

4 

4 

4 

3 

5 

3  I-IO 


3K  @  ^¥i 
2 

2 

4-K 


19 


Below  we  give  a  table  showing  the  retail  price  of  Alden  products  and  of 
canned  goods,  to  which  we  invite  your  attention. 


Variety. 


Apples 

Apricots 

Heef. 

Cherries 

Corn  

Currants 

Nectarines 

Onions 

Peaches 

Urpared  Peaches 

Peas 

Plums 

Potatoes 

Prunes 

Pumpkins 

Pears 

Grapes  

Rhubarb 

Squash 

Tomatoes 


No.  ites. 

Fresh  equal 

to  I  Dry. 


7 
5 
6 

0 


6 
4'A 


Retail 
Price. 


$  O  20 
40 
50 

75@i  CO 
40 
40 
50 
50 
40 

55 


35 

25 

40@5o 
20 
50 
25 
90 


Equivalent 
price  per 
2-Ib  can. 


$  o  OS 


25  @  33 
9 


II 

8 
23 

5 

IO@I2j^ 


s 


Actual 
price  per 
2-lb  can. 


$  o  40 
5° 
50 
5° 
35 
50 
50 

50 


The  above  tables  furnish  a  basis  for  an  estimate  of  the  direct  profits  of  an 
Alden  Factory,  which  will  be  found  to  be  invariably  larger  than  can  be  realized 
from  any  other  manufacturing  enterprise  in  California,  requiring  the  same 
amount  of  capital.  The  indirect  profits  to  the  community  in  which  the  factor- 
ies are  located  will  prove  much  larger,  as  it  will  enable  fruit  growers  to  utilize 
all  their  marketable  fruits,  which  would  otherwise  be  a  dead  loss. 

These  estimates  of  yield  are  based,  so  far  as  possible,  from  the  average  result 
of  a  full  season's  work.  There  is  great  difference  in  the  yield  of  some  species 
of  fruit.  Peaches  range  from  7  to  14  per  cent.  On  pears  one  factory  reported 
an  average  yield  of  9  per  cent.,  and  another  of  14  per  cent. 

We  would  ca:ll  your  special  attention  to  vineyards  of  Mission  Grapes,  and 
neglected  or  unprofitable  orchards.  By  grafting  upon  the  vines  raisin  grapes, 
(the  Muscat  family  are  the  best),  and  upon  the  trees  the  best  variety  for  drying, 
they  can  be  made  in  two  years  very  valuable.  In  planting  an  orchard,  select 
say  an  equal  variety  of  early,  medium  and  late  fruits,  so  that  a  factory  may  be 
kept  in  operation  as  long  as  possible,  which  will  bring  the  best  results. 


ALL  -WHO  LIKE  GOOD,   CLEAN  FOOD 

Should  examine  the  Alden  product.  We  claim  that  they  are  equal  to  the  fresh 
fruit  for  pies,  puddings  and  other  confections,  that  they  are  superior  to  fresh  in 
ripeness,  digestibility  and  economy,  that  only  one-half  the  sugar  is  necessary  in 
cooking,  because  a  part  of  the  starch  has  been  converted  into  sugar  in  the  pro- 
cess of  evaporation.  That  o?ie  pound  of  this  fruit  is  equal  to  iivo  of  that  dried  or 
dessicated  in  the  ordinary  way  ;  that  it  is  wholly  free  from  dirt  and  insects,  and 
that  the  average  cost  is  not  more  than  one-third  that  of  an  equivalent  of  canned 
goods.     We  invite  you  to  test  carefully  all  these  claims. 


20 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  USE. 


DO  NOT  WASH  OR  RINSE. 


Soak  in  cold  or  hot  water.     Hot  water  will  do  the  work  quicker. 

For  Cooking  Corn. — (5  ozs.  equal  to  one  2-lb.  can.)  Soak  in  water  until 
soft.     Boil  in  same  water,  adding  water  as  required. 

For  Cooking  Peas. — (3  ozs.  equal  to  one  2-lb.  can.)  Soak  in  water  until 
soft.     Boil  in  same  water,  adding  water  as  required. 

For  Cooking  Apricots. — (2^-  ozs.  equal  to  i  lb.  fresh.)  For  Sauce. — Soak  in 
water,  one  pint  to  2\  ozs.,  until  soft.  Cook  in  same  water,  adding  one-half 
the  sugar  ordinarily  used  in  fresh.  For  Pies. — Soak  and  use  without  cooking, 
putting  the  water  with  the  fruit. 

For  Cooking  Currants. — (3i  ozs.  equal  to  i  lb.  fresh.) — For  Sauce. — Soak  in 
one-half  pint  of  water,  3!  ozs.  until  soft.  Cook  in  same  water,  adding  one- 
half  the  sugar  ordinarily  used  in  fresh.  For  Pies. — Soak  and  use  without 
cooking,  putting  the  water  with  the  fruit.  For  Jelly. — Add  8  quarts  of  water  to 
2  pounds,  and  make  as  fresh.     Result,  equal  to  10  lbs.  of  fresh  fruit. 

For  Cooking  Potatoes. — For  Fried  Potatoes. — Soak  until  soft,  then  drop  the 
slices  in  hot  lard,  and  frj'  until  brown.  For  Mashed  Potatoes. — Soak  as  before, 
then  boil  until  nearly  dry. 

For  Cooking  Pears,  Plums,  Apples,  Peaches,  Rhubarb,  Onions,  Etc.,  Etc. — 
Soak  in  water  until  soft.  Cook  as  fresh,  adding  water  as  required.  If  pro- 
perly prepared,  result  is  equal  to  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables. 

Bear  in  mind  that  from  60  to  80  per  cent,  of  the  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables 
is  water,  which  is  absent  in  the  Alden  products.  You  must  add  as  much  water 
as  we  remove  by  evaporation,  and  as  much  more  as  you  would  in  cooking  the 
fresh  articles. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  BTTE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED   FOR   FAILURE  TO   RETURN          | 
THIS   BOOK  ON   THE   DATE  DUE.   THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  50  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY    AND    TO    $1.00    ON    THE    SEVENTH     DAY 
OVERDUE. 

..^r;rv-''B?A.'" 

, 

UIX)  22  ^9^' 

LD  21-10to-5,'43  (6061s) 

lllli 


461699 


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